U.S. patent application number 12/079154 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-02 for reacting apparatus comprising a plurality of reactors.
This patent application is currently assigned to Casio Computer Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Naotomo Miyamoto, Kaoru Saito, Tadao Yamamoto.
Application Number | 20080241020 12/079154 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39794716 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080241020 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miyamoto; Naotomo ; et
al. |
October 2, 2008 |
Reacting apparatus comprising a plurality of reactors
Abstract
Disclosed is a micro-reactor module including: a high
temperature reactor which causes a reaction of a reactant; and a
low temperature reactor which causes a reaction of a reactant at a
lower temperature than the high temperature reactor, wherein a
material of infrared reflecting film is set so that an infrared
reflectance of the high temperature reactor is higher than an
infrared reflectance of the low temperature reactor. Consequently,
heat radiation of a plurality of reactors set to different
temperatures is suppressed and the difference in temperatures
between the plurality of reactors is maintained.
Inventors: |
Miyamoto; Naotomo; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Saito; Kaoru; (Shiki-shi, JP) ;
Yamamoto; Tadao; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRISHAUF, HOLTZ, GOODMAN & CHICK, PC
220 Fifth Avenue, 16TH Floor
NEW YORK
NY
10001-7708
US
|
Assignee: |
Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
39794716 |
Appl. No.: |
12/079154 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/600 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01J 2219/00783
20130101; C01B 2203/0233 20130101; C01B 2203/085 20130101; B01J
2219/00824 20130101; C01B 2203/047 20130101; C01B 2203/066
20130101; B01J 19/0093 20130101; C01B 2203/1223 20130101; C01B
2203/0811 20130101; Y02P 20/10 20151101; Y02P 20/128 20151101; C01B
2203/1604 20130101; C01B 3/323 20130101; C01B 2203/0822 20130101;
B01J 2219/00846 20130101; B01J 2219/00873 20130101; B01J 2219/00867
20130101; C01B 2203/1288 20130101; B01J 2219/00822 20130101; C01B
2203/0866 20130101; C01B 2203/0827 20130101; B01J 2219/00945
20130101; C01B 2203/044 20130101; B01J 2219/00835 20130101; B01J
2219/00961 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/188 |
International
Class: |
B01J 10/00 20060101
B01J010/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2007 |
JP |
2007-082105 |
Claims
1. A reacting apparatus comprising: a high temperature reactor
which causes a reaction of a reactant; and a low temperature
reactor which causes a reaction of a reactant at a lower
temperature than the high temperature reactor, wherein an infrared
reflectance of the high temperature reactor is higher than an
infrared reflectance of the low temperature reactor.
2. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an infrared
reflecting film with a higher infrared reflectance than a surface
of the low temperature reactor is provided on a surface of the high
temperature reactor.
3. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an infrared
reflecting film with a lower infrared reflectance than a surface of
the high temperature reactor is provided on a surface of the low
temperature reactor.
4. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an infrared
reflecting film is provided on a surface of the high temperature
reactor, and an infrared reflecting film with a lower infrared
reflectance than the infrared reflecting film of the high
temperature reactor is provided on a surface of the low temperature
reactor.
5. The reacting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
infrared reflecting film provided on the surface of the high
temperature reactor includes an Au film.
6. The reacting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the
infrared reflecting film provided on the surface of the low
temperature reactor includes an Al film.
7. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a heat insulating package which accommodates the high temperature
reactor and the low temperature reactor and an inner space thereof
is decompressed.
8. The reacting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein among an
inner wall surface of the heat insulating package, a surface facing
to the high temperature reactor has a higher infrared reflectance
than the surface facing to the low temperature reactor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a reacting apparatus
comprising a plurality of reactors.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Recently, as a clean power source with high energy
conversion efficiency, fuel cells which use hydrogen as fuel are
starting to be applied in vehicles, portable devices, etc. A fuel
cell is a device which causes an electrochemical reaction of fuel
and oxygen in the air to directly obtain electric energy from
chemical energy.
[0005] The problem with hydrogen used as fuel in fuel cells is
since hydrogen is a gas at room temperature, it is difficult to
handle and store. When using liquid fuel such as alcohols and
gasoline, a vaporizer for vaporizing the liquid fuel, a reformer
for obtaining the hydrogen necessary for power generating by
causing a reaction of liquid fuel and high temperature water vapor,
and a carbon monoxide remover for removing carbon monoxide which is
a by-product of a reforming reaction are necessary.
[0006] Since operating temperatures of the vaporizer and the carbon
monoxide remover are high, these are stored in a heat insulating
container and heat dissipation is suppressed. Also a reflective
film to reflect infrared rays (wave length 0.7 .mu.m to 1 mm) are
formed on an inner wall surface of the heat insulating container to
reduce thermal energy loss to the outside (for example, Japanese
Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-6265).
[0007] The operating temperature of the vaporizer and the carbon
monoxide remover is for example, less than about 100.degree. C. to
180.degree. C. whereas the operating temperature of the reformer is
for example, no less than about 300.degree. C. to 400.degree. C.
Since there is a significant difference in the temperatures, there
is a large amount of heat transfer due to radiation from the
reformer. The heat propagation from the reformer causes a rise in
temperature in the vaporizer and the carbon monoxide remover, and
it was difficult to maintain the difference in temperature in the
reforming apparatus.
[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the
above situation and it is a main object to provide a reacting
apparatus which suppresses the heat radiation of a plurality of
reactors set to different temperatures and easily maintains the
difference in temperatures among the plurality of reactors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the
above situation, and in a reacting apparatus has an advantage of
suppressing heat radiation of a plurality of reactors set to
different temperatures and the difference in temperatures between
the plurality of reactors is maintained.
[0010] In order to achieve any one of the above advantages, a
preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises:
[0011] a high temperature reactor which causes a reaction of a
reactant; and
[0012] a low temperature reactor which causes a reaction of a
reactant at a lower temperature than the high temperature reactor,
wherein
[0013] an infrared reflectance of the high temperature reactor is
higher than an infrared reflectance of the low temperature
reactor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The present invention and the above-described objects,
features and advantages thereof will become more fully understood
from the following detailed description with the accompanying
drawings and wherein;
[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a micro-reactor module
600;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the
micro-reactor module 600 according to function;
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the
micro-reactor module 600;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a reformer
400;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a carbon
monoxide remover 500;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows VI-VI
shown in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows VII-VII
shown in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows
VIII-VIII shown in FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows IX-IX
shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow path of how a product
such as water, etc. is discharged after a combusted gas mixture is
supplied;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow path of how a product
such as hydrogen gas is discharged after liquid fuel and water are
supplied;
[0026] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a heat insulating
package 791 in an exploded state;
[0027] FIG. 13 is a sectional side view showing the heat insulating
package 791 of FIG. 12 in a constructed state;
[0028] FIG. 14 is a sectional side view showing a heat insulating
package 791A which is a modification;
[0029] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a power generating
unit 801; and
[0030] FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing an electronic device
851.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiments
described below include various technically preferable limitations
for carrying out the present invention, however, the scope of the
invention is not limited to the embodiments and the illustrated
examples.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a micro-reactor module 600.
This micro-reactor module 600 is included in an electronic device
such as a laptop personal computer, PDA, computerized personal
organizer, digital camera, cellular phone, watch, register, or
projector and generates hydrogen gas used in fuel cells.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, this micro-reactor module 600 comprises
a pipe group 602 for supplying a reactant and discharging a
product, a high temperature reactor 604 in which an appropriate
temperature necessary for operation is high and where a reforming
reaction occurs, a low temperature reactor 606 in which an
appropriate operation temperature is lower than the appropriate
operation temperature of the high temperature reactor 604 and where
a selective oxidation reaction occurs, and a coupling section 608
for flowing in or out the reactant and the product between the high
temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the
micro-reactor module 600 according to function. As shown in FIG. 2,
mainly a vaporizer 610 and a first combustor 612 are provided in
the pipe group 602. In the first combustor 612, a fuel where at
least a portion is vaporized (for example, hydrogen gas, methanol
gas, etc.) and a gas which is a source of oxygen such as air which
includes oxygen for combusting this fuel are supplied as a separate
or mixed fluid and these fluids are combusted with a catalyst in
the first combustor 612 to generate heat. In the vaporizer 610,
water and liquid fuel (for example, alcohols such as methanol,
ethanol, etc., ethers such as dimethyl ether, etc., or fossil fuels
such as gasoline, etc.) are supplied to a fuel container separately
or in a mixed state and a propagation of the combustion heat of the
first combustor 612 to the vaporizer 610 vaporizes the water and
liquid fuel in the vaporizer 610.
[0035] A second combustor 614 and a reformer 400 provided on the
second combustor 614 are provided in the high temperature reactor
604. In the second combustor 614, a fuel where at least a portion
is vaporized (for example, hydrogen gas, alcohols such as methanol,
ethanol, etc., ethers such as dimethyl ether, etc., or fossil fuels
such as gasoline, etc.) and a gas which is a source of oxygen such
as air which includes oxygen for combusting this fuel are supplied
as a separate or mixed fluid and a catalytic combustion of the
fluid generates heat.
[0036] When an electrochemical reaction occurs in the fuel cell
with the hydrogen gas supplied from the micro-reactor module 600,
unreacted hydrogen gas may be included in an offgas discharged from
the fuel cell, and at least one of the first combustor 612 and the
second combustor 614 may combust the unreacted hydrogen gas with
the gas such as air including oxygen and generate heat. Of course,
at least one of the first combustor 612 and the second combustor
614 may vaporize the liquid fuel (for example, methanol, ethanol,
butane, dimethyl ether, gasoline, etc.) stored in the fuel
container with a separate vaporizer and combust the vaporized fuel
with the gas such as air including oxygen.
[0037] When the second combustor 614 combusts the offgas discharged
from the fuel cell, first at startup the reformer 400 is heated
with a later-described electrical heating wire 722 to generate
hydrogen, then when the fuel cell from where this hydrogen is
supplied steadily discharges offgas including hydrogen, the second
combustor 614 combusts the hydrogen in the offgas and heats the
reformer 400. When the second combustor 614 becomes a main heat
source, the applied voltage is lowered so that the electrical
heating wire 722 switches to an auxiliary heat source.
[0038] The mixture gas of water and fuel is supplied from the
vaporizer 610 to this reformer 400 and the reformer 400 is heated
to a predetermined temperature by the second combustor 614. In the
heated reformer 400, hydrogen gas, etc. is generated with a
catalytic reaction from water and fuel, and trace amounts of carbon
monoxide gas are also generated. When the fuel is methanol, a
chemical reaction shown in the following formulas (1) and (2)
occur. The reaction where hydrogen is generated is an endothermic
reaction and the combustion heat of the second combustor 614 is
used.
CH.sub.3OH+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.3H.sub.2+CO.sub.2 (1)
2CH.sub.3OH+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.5H.sub.2+CO+CO.sub.2 (2)
[0039] A carbon monoxide remover 500 is mainly provided in the low
temperature reactor 606. The carbon monoxide remover 500 heated by
the first combustor 612 is supplied with a gas mixture including
hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide gas, etc., from the reformer 400 and
an oxygen source such as air, etc., is also supplied. In the carbon
monoxide remover 500, the carbon monoxide in the gas mixture is
selectively oxidized, and a chemical reaction shown in the
following formula (3) occurs to remove the carbon monoxide.
CO+1/2O.sub.2.fwdarw.CO.sub.2 (3)
[0040] The gas mixture mainly including hydrogen in a state where
the carbon monoxide is removed is supplied to the fuel electrode of
the fuel cell.
[0041] In the present embodiment, an infrared reflectance of the
high temperature reactor 604 is higher than the infrared
reflectance of the low temperature reactor 606, and this is
explained with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 to FIG. 9 along with the
specific structure of the micro-reactor module 600.
[0042] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the
micro-reactor module 600, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view
showing the reformer 400, FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view
showing the carbon monoxide remover 500, FIG. 6 is a
cross-sectional view taken along arrows VI-VI shown in FIG. 1, FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows VII-VII shown in
FIG. 1, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows
VIII-VIII shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view
taken along arrows IX-IX shown in FIG. 1.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 6, the pipe group 602
comprises, a liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 including kovar
(NiFeCo alloy), a combustor plate 624 including kovar (NiFeCo
alloy) provided so as to surround the liquid fuel introducing pipe
622 at the top end, and five pipe materials 626, 628, 630, 632 and
634 including kovar (NiFeCo alloy) arranged around the liquid fuel
introducing pipe 622. The combustor plate 624 is joined to the
liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 and the low temperature reactor
606 by hard brazing. The brazing filler metal has a melting point
higher than the maximum temperature of the fluid which flows
through the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 and the combustor
plate 624, preferably no lower than 700 degrees. A brazing filler
gold comprising gold, silver, copper, zinc and cadmium, a brazing
filler metal comprising mainly of gold, silver, zinc and nickel or
a brazing filler metal comprising mainly of gold, palladium, and
silver are especially preferable. The combustor plate 624 functions
as a flange to join the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 to the low
temperature reactor 606.
[0044] The liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 is filled with liquid
absorbing material 623. The liquid absorbing material 623 absorbs
liquid. Material for the liquid absorbing material 623 may include
for example, inorganic fiber or organic fiber hardened by joining
material, inorganic powder sintered or hardened by joining
material, or a mixture of graphite and glassy carbon. Specifically
felt material, ceramic porous material, fiber material, or carbon
porous material may be used as liquid absorbing material 623.
[0045] A through hole is formed in a central portion 624A of the
combustor plate 624 and the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 is
fitted in the through hole 624A and the liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622 and the combustor plate 624 are joined. One face of the
combustor plate 624 is provided with a protruding partition wall
624B. A portion of the partition wall 624B is provided around the
entire circumference of the outer end of the combustor plate 624
and another portion is provided in a radial direction so that when
the combustor plate 624 is joined to the bottom surface of the low
temperature reactor 606, a combustion flow path 625 is formed on
the joint surface and the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 is
surrounded by the combustion flow path 625. A combustion catalyst
for causing combustion of the combustion mixture gas is supported
on the wall surface of the combustion flow path 625. Platinum is an
example of the combustion catalyst. The liquid absorbing material
623 in the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 is filled to the
location of the combustor plate 624.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the high temperature reactor
604, the low temperature reactor 606 and the coupling section 608
share a base plate 642 as a common substrate. On one face of the
base plate 642 a plate material 690, corrugated plates 420, 520,
and 540, a separating plate 550 and cups 410, 510 are provided to
form a reacting container such as high temperature reactor 604, low
temperature reactor 606 and coupling section 608. An insulating
plate 640 is provided on the other face of the base plate 642
forming this reacting container.
[0047] The base plate 642 includes kovar (NiFeCo alloy) and
comprises a base section 652 which is a substrate of the low
temperature reactor 606, a base section 654 which is a substrate of
the high temperature reactor 604, and a coupling base section 656
which is a substrate of the coupling section 608. The base section
652, the base section 654 and the coupling base section 656
integrally form the base plate 642, and the base plate 642 is
constricted at the coupling base section 656.
[0048] The insulating plate 640 comprises a base section 662 which
is a substrate of the low temperature reactor 606, a base section
664 which is a substrate of the high temperature reactor 604, and a
coupling base section 666 which is a substrate of the coupling
section 608. The base section 662, the base section 664 and the
coupling base section 666 integrally form the insulating plate 640
and the insulating plate 640 is constricted at the coupling base
section 666. The insulating plate 640 includes an electric
insulating material such as ceramics, etc.
[0049] It is preferable that a linear expansion coefficient of the
electric insulating material included in the insulating plate 640
is the linear expansion coefficient of the metal material included
in the reacting container such as the cups 410, 510, the corrugated
plates 420, 520, 540, the separating plate 550, the plate material
690, the base plate 642, etc., which is 70% to 130%, it is more
preferable that it is 90% to 100%, and it is most preferable that
it is equal.
[0050] As for electric insulating material which is to be the
above-described insulating plate 640 and a reacting container
material which is to be a base plate 642 in contact with the
insulating plate 640, a combination of for example, mullite as the
electric insulating material (3Al.sub.2O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2, linear
expansion coefficient 5.0.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.) and kovar as
the reacting container material (FeNiCo alloy, linear expansion
coefficient 5.16.times.10.sup.-6/.degree. C.) may be included but
it is not limited to this combination.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, the base plate 642 and the
insulating plate 640 are joined and the through holes 671 to 678
penetrate the base section 652 of the base plate 642 and the base
section 662 of the insulating plate 640. As shown in FIG. 1 and
FIG. 3, the base section 662 of the insulating plate 640 is the
bottom surface section of the low temperature reactor 606 and the
flange sections of the pipe material 626, 628, 630, 632, and 634
and the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 are joined to the bottom
surface of the low temperature reactor 606. Here, the pipe material
626 connects to the through hole 671, the pipe material 628
connects to the through hole 672, the pipe material 630 connects to
the through hole 673, the pipe material 632 connects to the through
hole 674, the pipe material 634 connects to the through hole 675
and the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 connects to the through
hole 678. As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the combustor
plate 624 is joined to the bottom surface of the low temperature
reactor 606 and one end of the combustion flow path 625 of the
combustor plate 624 connects to the through hole 676 and the other
end of the combustion flow path 625 connects to the through hole
676.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, on one face of the base plate 642 a
stage 641 and a stage 643 are provided on the base section 652 and
the base section 654 respectively, and the stages are raised to
form grooves for reforming fuel supplying flow path 702,
communicating flow path 704, air supplying flow path 706, mixing
chamber 708, combustion fuel supplying flow path 710, combustion
chamber 712 which is to be the second combustor 614, discharging
gas flow path 714, combustion fuel supplying flow path 716 and
discharging chamber 718.
[0053] The reforming fuel supplying flow path 702 is formed from
the through hole 678 of the low temperature reactor 606 through the
coupling base section 656 of the coupling section 608 to the corner
of the base section 654 of the high temperature reactor 604.
[0054] The communicating flow path 704 is formed from the corner of
the base section 654 of the high temperature reactor 604 through
the coupling base section 656 to the mixing chamber 708. The air
supplying flow path 706 is formed from the through hole 675 of the
low temperature reactor 606 to the mixing chamber 708. The air
supplying flow path 706 is formed from the through hole 757 of the
low temperature reactor 606 to the joining section of the mixing
chamber 708 and the communicating flow path 704.
[0055] The combustion chamber 712 is formed in the central portion
of the base section 654 with a C-shaped bottom surface 711. The
wall surface of the combustion chamber 712 including the bottom
surface of the plate material 690 and the top surface of the bottom
plate 711 are supported with combustion catalyst for causing
combustion of the combustion mixture gas.
[0056] The combustion fuel supplying flow path 710 is formed from
the through hole 672 through the coupling base section 656 to the
combustion chamber 712. The discharging gas flow path 714 is formed
from the through hole 677 to the through hole 673 and also from the
combustion chamber 712 through the coupling base section 656 to the
through hole 673. The combustion fuel supplying flow path 716 is
formed on the base section 652 from the through hole 674 to the
through hole 676. The discharging chamber 718 is formed on a base
section 652 as a rectangular concave section lowered than the stage
641 and a corner of the discharging chamber 718 connects to the
through hole 671.
[0057] The reformer 400 is provided on the base section 654. As
shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the reformer 400 comprises the
cup 410 whose bottom surface is open, a corrugating plate 420
accommodated in the cup 410 and a bottom plate 430 for closing the
bottom opening of the cup 410.
[0058] The cup 410 includes a square or rectangular top plate 412,
a pair of side plates 414, 414 connected perpendicular to the top
plate 412 at two opposing sides among the four sides of the top
plate 412, and a pair of side plates 416, 416 connected
perpendicular to the top plate 412 at another two opposing sides of
the top plate 412. The side plate 414 is connected perpendicular to
the side plate 416 and the four side plates 414, 414, 416, 416 are
provided in a square frame shape or a rectangular frame shape.
[0059] The end of the bottom plate 430 is joined to the bottom
sides of the side plates 414, 414, 416, 416 so that the bottom
plate 430 and the top plate 412 are parallel. As described above,
closing the bottom opening of the cup 410 with the bottom plate 430
forms a parallel hexahedron shaped box with a hollow center.
[0060] The corrugated plate 420 comprises a plate including kovar
(NiFeCo alloy) meandering in a corrugated shape, and includes a
pair of opposing reinforcing sections 422, 422 on both ends of the
plate, a plurality of partition sections 424, 424, . . . opposing
the reinforcing section 422 between the two reinforcing sections
422, 422, and a plurality of folded sections 426, 426 . . .
connected between the partition section 424 and the partition
section 424 adjacent to each other at one side among the four sides
of the partition section 424 or between adjacent partition section
424 and reinforcing section 422.
[0061] The corrugated plate 420 is accommodated in the cup 410 so
that the wave peak direction is parallel to the side plate 414, and
the reinforcing sections 422 of the corrugated plate 420 abut and
face with the side plates 414, and preferably the reinforcing
sections 422 are joined to the side plates 414 by brazing.
Consequently, the reinforcing sections 422 function as reinforcing
members to reinforce the side plates 414 of the cup 410. Thus, even
when stress is put on the side plates 414, the structure is not
easily deformed.
[0062] The folded sections 426 of the corrugated plate 420 abut and
face with the side plates 416, and preferably the folded sections
426 are joined to the side plates 416 by brazing. Consequently, the
folded sections 426 function as reinforcing members to reinforce
the side plates 416 of the cup 410. Thus, even when stress is put
on the side plates 416, the structure is not easily deformed.
[0063] The top side of the folded section 426 and the top side of
the reinforcing section 422 abut the top plate 412 of the cup 410,
and preferably they are joined by brazing. The bottom side of the
folded section 426 and the bottom side of the reinforcing section
422 abut the bottom plate 430, and preferably they are joined by
brazing.
[0064] As described above, the corrugated plate 420 is accommodated
in the cup 410, thus the hollow center by the cup 410 and the
bottom plate 430 is partitioned by the partition section 424 into a
plurality of spaces 418, 418 and so on. Among the plurality of
spaces 418, 418 . . . , an introducing opening 432, which is
connected to one space 418 between the reinforcing section 422 and
the partition section 424, is formed on the bottom plate 430 and a
discharging opening 434, which is connected to the other space 418
between the reinforcing section 422 and the partition section 424,
is formed on the bottom plate 430.
[0065] A pair of top and bottom through holes 428, 428 is formed on
one end of the partition section 424 in the direction of the wave
peak and adjacent spaces 418, 418 are connected through the through
holes 428, 428. Thus a flow path shape is provided in the hollow
center of the cup 410 and the bottom plate 430 from the introducing
opening 432 to the discharging opening 434 and the flow path is in
a meandering shape.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bottom plate 430 of the
reformer 400 is joined to the stage 643 positioned on the top
surface of the base section 654. The bottom plate 430 covers a
portion of the reforming fuel supplying flow path 702, a portion of
the discharging gas flow path 714, a portion of the combustion fuel
supplying flow path 710, a portion of the communicating flow path
704 and the combustion chamber 712. The introducing opening 432
formed on the bottom plate 430 is placed on the end 703 of the
reforming fuel supplying flow path 702 and the discharging opening
434 formed on the bottom plate 430 is placed on the end 705 of the
communicating flow path 704.
[0067] In the reformer 400, a reforming catalyst (for example
Cu/ZnO-type catalyst or Pd/ZnO-type catalyst) is supported on the
inner surface of the cup 410 and the bottom plate 430 and the
corrugated plate 420.
[0068] The carbon monoxide remover 500 is provided on the base
section 652. The carbon monoxide remover 500 comprises a cup 510
whose bottom surface is open, a separating plate 550 partitioning a
top and bottom space accommodated in the cup 510, a bottom plate
530 covering the bottom opening of the cup 410, a corrugated plate
520 accommodated in the upper space of the two spaces partitioned
by the separating board 550 and a corrugated plate 540 accommodated
in the lower space thereof.
[0069] It is preferable that the cups 410, 510, the corrugated
plates 420, 520, 540 and the bottom plate 430, 530 include kovar
(NiFeCo alloy). It is preferable that the linear expansion
coefficient of the electric insulating material which forms the
later described insulating plate 640 is 70% to 130% and it is more
preferable that it is 90% to 110%.
[0070] The cup 510 includes a square or rectangular top plate 512,
a pair of side plates 514, 514 connected perpendicular to the top
plate 512 from two opposing sides among the four sides of the top
plate 512, and a pair of side plates 516, 516 connected
perpendicular to the top plate 512 from another two opposing sides
of the top plate 512. The side plates 514 are connected
perpendicular to the side plates 516.
[0071] The end of the bottom plate 530 is joined to the bottom
sides of the side plates 514, 514, 516, 516 so that the bottom
plate 530 and the top plate 512 are parallel and forms a parallel
hexahedron shaped box with a hollow center. The separating plate
550 is accommodated in the cup 510 so as to be parallel with the
bottom plate 530 and the top plate 512 and the end of the
separating plate 550 are joined between the top and bottom of the
side plates 514, 514, 516, 516.
[0072] The corrugated plate 520 comprises a plate including kovar
(NiFeCo alloy) meandering in a corrugated shape, and includes a
pair of opposing reinforcing sections 522, 522 on both ends of the
plate 520, a plurality of partition sections 524, 524, . . .
opposing the reinforcing section 522 between the two reinforcing
sections 522, 522, and a plurality of folded sections 526, 526 . .
. connected between the partition section 524 and the partition
section 524 adjacent to each other at one side among the four sides
of the partition section 524 or between adjacent partition section
524 and reinforcing section 522.
[0073] The corrugated plate 540 is similar to the corrugated plate
520 and includes the same material and has a same shape. The
corrugated plate 540 includes a pair of reinforcing sections 542,
542, a plurality of partition sections 544, 544 . . . and a
plurality of folded sections 546, 546 . . . .
[0074] The corrugated plate 520 is accommodated in a space between
the separating plate 550 and the top plate 512, so that the wave
peak direction is parallel to the side plate 514, and the
reinforcing sections 522 of the corrugated plate 520 abut and face
with the side plates 514, and preferably the reinforcing sections
522 are joined to the side plates 514 by brazing. Consequently, the
reinforcing sections 522 function as reinforcing members to
reinforce the side plates 514 of the cup 510. Thus, even when
stress is put on the side plates 514, the structure is not easily
deformed.
[0075] The folded sections 526 of the corrugated plate 520 abut and
face with the side plates 516, and preferably the folded sections
526 are joined to the side plates 516 by brazing. Consequently, the
folded sections 526 function as reinforcing members to reinforce
the side plates 516 of the cup 510. Thus, even when stress is put
on the side plates 516, the structure is not easily deformed.
[0076] The top side of the folded section 526 and the top side of
the reinforcing section 522 abut the top plate 512 of the cup 510,
and preferably they are joined by brazing. The bottom side of the
folded section 526 and the bottom side of the reinforcing section
522 abut the separating plate 550, and preferably they are joined
by brazing.
[0077] The corrugated plate 520 is accommodated in a space between
the top plate 512 and the separating plate 550 in the cup 510, thus
the space is partitioned by the partition section 524 into a
plurality of spaces 518, 518 . . . .
[0078] The corrugated plate 540 is accommodated in a space between
the separating plate 550 and the bottom plate 530, so that the wave
peak direction is parallel to the side plate 514, and the
reinforcing section 542 of the corrugated plate 540 abuts facing
the side plate 514 and preferably the reinforcing section 542 is
joined to the side plate 514 by brazing. The folded section 546 of
the corrugated plate 540 abuts facing the side plate 516, and
preferably the folded section 546 is joined to the side plate 516
by brazing.
[0079] The top side of the folded section 546 and the top side of
the reinforcing section 542 abut the separating plate 550 of the
cup 510, and preferably they are joined by brazing. The bottom side
of the folded section 546 and the bottom side of the reinforcing
section 542 abut the bottom plate 530, and preferably they are
joined by brazing.
[0080] The corrugated plate 540 is accommodated in a space between
the bottom plate 530 and the separating plate 550 in the cup 510,
thus the space is partitioned by the partition section 544 into a
plurality of spaces 519, 519 . . . . The lower corrugated plate 540
overlaps with the upper corrugated plate 520 with the separating
plate 550 in between, and the upper space 518 is partitioned with
the lower space 519 with the separating plate 550.
[0081] Through holes 528 are formed on the partitioning sections
524 and adjacent spaces 518, 518 are connected through the through
holes 528. Similarly, through holes 548 are formed on the
partitioning sections 544 and adjacent spaces 519, 519 are
connected through the through holes 548. A plurality of through
holes 552, 552, . . . are formed on the separating plate 550 and
the spaces 518, 519 one above the other are connected through the
through hole 552. The spaces 518, 518 . . . and the spaces 519, 519
. . . are in one predetermined flow path with the through holes
528, 548 and 552.
[0082] An introducing opening 532 is formed on the bottom plate 430
connecting to any of the plurality of spaces 519, 519 . . . , and a
discharging opening 534 is formed on the bottom plate 530
connecting to another space 519.
[0083] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the bottom plate 530 of the
carbon monoxide remover 500 is joined to the top surface of the
base section 652. The bottom plate 530 covers a portion of the
reforming fuel supplying flow path 702, a portion of the
discharging gas flow path 714, a portion of the combustion fuel
supplying flow path 710, a portion of the communicating flow path
704, the air supplying flow path 706, the mixing chamber 708, the
combustion fuel supplying flow path 716, and the discharging
chamber 718. The introducing opening 532 formed on the bottom plate
530 is placed on the corner 709 of the mixing chamber 708 and the
discharging opening 534 formed on the bottom plate 530 is placed on
the corner 719 of the discharging chamber 718.
[0084] In the carbon monoxide remover 500, the inner surface of the
cup 510 and the bottom plate 530, the corrugated plate 520, the
corrugated plate 540, and the separating plate 550 are supported
with a carbon monoxide selective oxidation catalyst (for example,
platinum, etc.).
[0085] As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom plate 430 of the reformer 400
and the bottom plate 530 of the carbon monoxide remover 500 are
formed integrally coupled with a coupling cover 680. The plate
material 690 which integrates the bottom plate 430, the bottom
plate 530 and the coupling cover 680 is constricted at the coupling
cover 680. The plate material 690 is joined to the base plate 642,
where the coupling cover 680 of the plate material 690 is joined to
the coupling base section 656 of the base plate 642 to form the
coupling section 608. In the coupling section 608, a portion of the
reforming fuel supplying flow path 702, a portion of the
discharging gas flow path 714, a portion of the combustion fuel
supplying flow path 710 and a portion of the communicating flow
path 704 are covered with the coupling cover 680.
[0086] As shown in FIG. 1, etc., the external form of the coupling
section 608 is prism-shaped, the width of the coupling section 608
is smaller than the width of the high temperature reactor 604 and
the width of the low temperature reactor 606 and the height of the
coupling section 608 is lower than the height of the high
temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606.
Consequently, the difference of the appropriate temperature of the
high temperature reactor 604 and the appropriate temperature of the
low temperature reactor 606 can be maintained, and the heat loss of
the high temperature reactor 604 can be suppressed as well as the
temperature of the low temperature reactor 606 rising to a
predetermined temperature or higher can be prevented. The coupling
section 608 is provided between the high temperature reactor 604
and a low temperature reactor 606. The coupling section 608 is
coupled to the high temperature reactor 604 at the central portion
in a width direction of the high temperature reactor 604 and is
coupled to the low temperature reactor 606 at the central portion
in a width direction of the low temperature reactor 606.
Consequently, the stress on the coupling section 608 based on the
difference in heat expansion caused by the difference between the
appropriate temperature of the high temperature reactor 604 and the
appropriate temperature of the low temperature reactor 606 is
suppressed to a minimum, and the leakage of the fluid from the
coupling section 608 can be prevented. However, the coupling
section 608 is small, thus it does not have the stiffness
sufficient enough against the stress.
[0087] As described above, the reforming fuel supplying flow path
702, the communicating flow path 704, the combustion fuel supplying
flow path 710 and the discharging gas flow path 714 is provided in
the coupling section 608.
[0088] The route of the flow path provided inside the pipe group
602, the high temperature reactor 604, the low temperature reactor
606 and the coupling section 608 is as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG.
11. To explain the relation between FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 2,
the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 corresponds to the vaporizer
610, the combustion flow path 625 corresponds to the first
combustor 612, and the combustion chamber 712 corresponds to the
second combustor.
[0089] As shown in FIG. 3, an electrical heating wire 720 is
patterned in a meandering state on the bottom surface of the low
temperature reactor 606, in other words the bottom surface of the
insulating plate 640, and the electrical heating wire 722 is
patterned in a meandering state on these bottom surfaces from the
low temperature reactor 606 through the coupling section 608 to the
high temperature reactor 604. An electrical heating wire 724 is
patterned from the bottom surface of the low temperature reactor
606 through the surface of the combustor plate 624 to the side
surface of the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622. Here, an
insulating film such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, etc., is
formed on the side surface of the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622
and the surface of the combustor plate 624, and the electrical
heating wire 724 is formed on the surface of the insulating film.
By patterning the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 on the
insulating film or the insulating plate 640, the applied voltage is
hardly applied to the base plate 642, the liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622 and the combustion plate 624 which are all made from
metallic material, and the voltage is supplied to the electrical
heating wires 720, 722, 724, thus enhancing the heat generation
efficiency of the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724.
[0090] The electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 include laminated
layers of an adhesion layer, a diffusion prevention layer and a
heat generation layer in this order from the insulating plate 640.
The heat generation layer includes a material with the lowest
resistivity among the three layers (for example, Au), and when the
voltage is applied to the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724, a
current intensively passes and generates heat. In the diffusion
prevention layer, it is preferable to use a material with a
relatively high melting point and low reactivity (for example W) so
that the material of the heat generating layer does not diffuse to
the diffusion prevention layer and the adhesion layer. The adhesion
layer is used when the adhesion of the diffusion prevention layer
to the insulating plate 640 is not high, and includes a material
which has high adhesion to both the diffusion prevention layer and
the insulating plate 640 (for example, Ta, Mo, Ti, Cr). The
electrical heating wire 720 heats the low temperature reactor 606
at start-up, the electrical heating wire 722 heats the high
temperature reactor 604 and the coupling section 608 at start-up,
and the electrical heating wire 724 heats the vaporizer 502 of the
pipe group 602 and the first combustor 612. Then, the offgas
including the residual hydrogen which was not used in the
electrochemical reaction is discharged from the fuel cell which
generates power with the hydrogen gas discharged from the
micro-reactor module 600. When the offgas is introduced to the
second combustor 614 and combusted, the electrical heating wire 722
heats the high temperature reactor 604 and the coupling section 608
as a supplement to the second combustor 614. Similarly, when the
offgas including hydrogen from the fuel cell is combusted in the
first combustor 612, the electrical heating wire 720 and the
electrical heating wire 724 heat the low temperature reactor 606
and the pipe group 602 as a supplement to the first combustor
612.
[0091] Since the electrical resistivity of the electrical heating
wires 720, 722, 724 vary according to the change in temperature,
the wires function as a temperature sensor where a temperature can
be read from a resistance value to a specific applied voltage or
current. Specifically, the temperature of the electrical heating
wires 720, 722, 724 are proportional to the electrical
resistivity.
[0092] The ends of the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 are
positioned on the bottom surface of the low temperature reactor 606
and these ends are arranged to surround the combustor plate 624.
Lead wires 731, 732 are respectively connected to both ends of the
electrical heating wire 720, lead wires 733, 734 are respectively
connected to both ends of the electrical heating wire 722, and lead
wires 735, 736 are respectively connected to both ends of the
electrical heating wire 724. In FIG. 1, in order to facilitate
visualization, the illustrations of the electrical heating wires
720, 722, 724 and the lead wires 731 to 736 are omitted.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the infrared reflectance of
the high temperature reactor 604 of the micro-reactor module 600 is
higher than the infrared reflectance of the low temperature reactor
606.
[0094] Specifically, an infrared reflecting film 605 with a higher
infrared reflectance than the surface of the low temperature
reactor 606 is provided on the surface of the high temperature
reactor 604. As a material with high infrared reflectance for
example, Au, ITO nanoparticles, etc. may be included, and such
infrared reflecting film 605 is formed by coating the surfaces (top
surface, bottom surface, and side surface) of the high temperature
reactor 604. Specifically, the infrared reflecting film 605 is
provided on the top surface and the side surface of the cup 410
including the high temperature reactor 604, and the bottom surface
and the side surface of the base section 654 of the base plate
642.
[0095] As shown in FIG. 14, an infrared reflecting film 605A may be
provided on the surface of the high temperature reactor 604, and an
infrared reflecting film 607A with a lower infrared reflectance
than the infrared reflecting film 605A may be provided on the
surface of the low temperature reactor 606. As a material with low
infrared reflectance, for example Al or material coated with black
coating may be included, and the infrared reflecting film 607A is
also formed by coating the surfaces (top surface, bottom surface
and side surface) of the low temperature reactor 606. Specifically,
the infrared reflecting film 607A is provided on the top surface
and side surface of the cup 510 including the low temperature
reactor 606 and the bottom surface and the side surface of the base
section 652 of the base plate 642. In FIG. 14, the same reference
numerals are applied to the structures similar to those shown in
FIG. 13.
[0096] Also, the infrared reflecting film with a low infrared
reflectance may be provided only on the low temperature reactor 606
without providing the infrared reflecting film on the surface of
the high temperature reactor 604 (not shown).
[0097] As described above, as shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the
micro-reactor module 600 comprising a high temperature reactor 604
and a low temperature reactor 606 with a different infrared
reflectance includes a heat insulating package 791, and the high
temperature reactor 604, the low temperature reactor 606 and the
coupling section 608 are accommodated in the heat insulating
package 791. The heat insulating package 791 comprises a
rectangular case 792 whose bottom surface is open and a plate 793
for closing the opening of the bottom surface of the case 792 and
the plate 793 is joined to the case 792. Both the case 792 and the
plate 793 include an alloy plate such as stainless steel (SUS 304),
etc.
[0098] The heat insulating package 791 reflects heat radiation from
the pipe group 602, the high temperature reactor 604, the low
temperature reactor 606 and the coupling section 608 and suppresses
the propagation to the outside of the heat insulating package
791.
[0099] As shown in FIG. 13, in order to prevent the heat loss due
to radiation from the high temperature reactor 604, the low
temperature reactor 606, the coupling section 680, etc., an
infrared reflecting film 790 for reflecting infrared rays is
provided on the inner wall surface of the case 792 of the heat
insulating package 791 and the top surface of the plate 793. The
infrared reflecting film 790 suppresses the heat loss to the
outside of the heat insulating package 791. Material for the
infrared reflecting film 790 includes, for example, Al, Au,
etc.
[0100] It is preferable the infrared reflecting film 790 is formed
on the inner wall surface 791a facing to the high temperature
reformer 604 of the heat insulating package 791, so that the
infrared reflectance becomes higher compared to the inner wall
surface 791b facing to the low temperature reformer 606.
Specifically, by providing the infrared reflecting film 790 on all
surfaces of the inner wall surface 791a facing to the high
temperature reactor 604 of the heat insulating package 791 and only
a portion (near the high temperature reactor 604) of the inner wall
surface 791b facing to the low temperature reactor 606, the
infrared reflectance between the high temperature reactor 604 side
and the low temperature reactor 606 side of the heat insulating
package 791 is different.
[0101] As shown in FIG. 14, the infrared reflecting film 790A may
be provided on all surfaces of the inner wall surface of the heat
insulating package 791A (inner wall surface of the case 792A and
the top surface of the plate 793A).
[0102] In the above-described FIG. 13, the infrared reflecting film
790 is provided only on a portion of the inner wall surface 791b
facing to the low temperature reactor 606, however, the infrared
reflecting film may not be provided at all on the inner wall
surface 791b facing to the low temperature reactor 606 (not
shown).
[0103] Also not shown, an infrared reflecting film with a different
reflectance may be provided on the inner wall surface 791a facing
to the high temperature reactor 604 and the inner wall surface 791b
facing to the low temperature reactor 606 respectively so that the
infrared reflectance of the inner wall surface 791a side becomes
higher.
[0104] The inner space between the heat insulating package 791 and
the micro-reactor module 600 is decompressed and evacuated so that
the inner pressure of the heat insulating package 791 becomes no
more than 1 Pa. The pipe material 634 of the pipe group 602 which
is to be the discharging path for the hydrogen gas is exposed from
the heat insulating package 791 and is connected to a fuel
electrode of the later-described power generating cell 808. The
liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 is connected to the fuel container
804 through the flow rate control unit 806.
[0105] A portion of the wire group 739 including lead wires 732,
731, 733, 734, 736, 735, 737, 738 is exposed from the heat
insulating package 791. The liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 and
the lead wires 732, 731, 733, 734, 736, 735, 737, 738 are joined to
the base plate 793 of the heat insulating package 791 by metal
brazing, glass material, or insulating sealing material so that a
gap where outside air may enter into the heat insulating package
791 from an area exposed from the heat insulating package 791 and
raise the inner pressure is not formed in the liquid fuel
introducing pipe 622 and the lead wires 732, 731, 733, 734, 736,
735, 737, 738. The heat insulating package 791 is metallic and
exhibits conductivity, however the lead wires 732, 731, 733, 734,
736, 735, 737, 738 are covered with an insulating material with a
high melting point, thus there is no continuity between the lead
wires 732, 731, 733, 734, 736, 735, 737, 738 and the heat
insulating package 791. Since the inner pressure of the inner space
of the heat insulating package 791 can be maintained at a low
pressure, the medium which propagates the heat generated by the
micro-reactor module 600 becomes lean, heat convection in the inner
space can be suppressed and the heat retention effect is enhanced
in the micro-reactor module 600.
[0106] In the sealed space of the heat insulating package 791,
there is a coupling section 608 with a predetermined length between
the high temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor
606 of the micro-reactor module 600, however since the volume of
the coupling section 608 is extremely small compared to the volume
of the high temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor
606, the propagation of heat by the coupling section 608 from the
high temperature reactor 604 to the low temperature reactor 606 can
be suppressed. Consequently, the temperature gradient necessary for
reaction between the high temperature reactor 604 and the low
temperature reactor 606 can be maintained and the temperature
inside the high temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature
reactor 606 may be easily evened.
[0107] A getter material 728 is provided on the surface of the low
temperature reactor 606 to absorb and remove from the inner space
of the heat insulating package 791 factors which raise the pressure
of the inner space of the heat insulating package 791 such as, a
fluid which may leak out from the micro-reactor module 600 over
time, a fluid which generates from the micro-reactor module 600
over time, a portion of the outside air which remains when
sufficient decompression and evacuation cannot be done when the
case 792 and the base plate 793 are joined, or outside air which
enters into the heat insulating package 791 over time. A heater
such as an electrical heating material, etc., is provided in the
getter material 728 and the heater is connected to a wire 730. Both
ends of the wire 730 are positioned on the bottom surface of the
base plate 642 around the combustor plate 624 and lead wires 737,
738 are respectively connected to each end of the wire 730. When
the getter material 728 is heated, the material is activated to
absorb. Material for getter material 728 includes, an alloy
composed mainly of zirconium, barium, titanium, or vanadium. A
portion of the lead wires 737 and 738 are exposed from the heat
insulating package 791, and lead wires 737, 738 are joined to the
base plate 793 of the heat insulating package 791 by metal, glass
material, or insulating sealing material so that a gap is not
formed where outside air may enter into the heat insulating package
791 from the exposed area and raise the inner pressure. As for the
wire group 739, it is desirable that the distances between the lead
wires are equally apart and they are placed around the liquid fuel
introducing pipe 622. The thickness of the coupling section 608 and
the heat insulating package 791 (case 792, plate 793) is 0.1 mm to
0.2 mm and has bendability unique to metal for opposing to stress
on the surfaces of the heat insulating package 791.
[0108] A plurality of inserting holes 795 penetrate the plate 793
and pipe materials 626, 628, 630, 632, 634, liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622 and lead wires 731 to 738 are inserted through the
inserting holes 795 and the through holes 795 are sealed with a
metal or glass material. The inner space of the heat insulating
package 791 is sealed and the inner space is decompressed, thus the
heat insulating effect is high. Therefore, the heat loss is
suppressed.
[0109] The pipe material 626, 628, 630, 632, 634 and the liquid
fuel introducing pipe 622 protrudes inside and outside the heat
insulating package 791. Therefore, inside the heat insulating
package 791, the pipe material 626, 628, 630, 632, 634 and liquid
fuel introducing pipe 622 stand against the plate 793 as struts,
the high temperature reactor 604, the low temperature reactor 606
and the coupling section 608 are supported by the pipe material
626, 628, 630, 632, 634 and the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622,
and the high temperature reactor 604, the low temperature reactor
606, and the coupling section 608 are separated from the inner
surface of the heat insulating package 791.
[0110] It is preferable that the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622
is connected to the bottom surface of the low temperature reactor
606 at the barycenter of the entire high temperature reactor 604,
low temperature reactor 606 and the coupling section 608 in plan
view.
[0111] If the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, pipe group 602 and
wire group 739 is provided in the high temperature reactor 604,
since the high temperature reactor 604 needs to be maintained at a
high temperature during operation, the temperatures of the liquid
fuel introducing pipe 622, the pipe group 602 and the wire group
739 also become high, and the amount of heat which is transferred
and lost from the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the pipe group
602, and the wire group 739 to the heat insulating package 200
becomes large. However, since the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622,
the pipe group 602, and the wire group 739 are provided in the low
temperature reactor 606, the amount of heat which is transferred
and lost from the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the pipe group
602, and the wire group 739 to the heat insulating package 791 is
small, and the amount of heat dissipated from an area of the liquid
fuel introducing pipe 622, the pipe group 602, and the wire group
739 exposed outside the heat insulating package 791 is small.
Consequently, the high temperature reactor 604 and the low
temperature reactor 606 can be heated promptly, and it is easier to
stably maintain a heating temperature.
[0112] The getter material 728 is provided on the surface of the
low temperature reactor 606, however it is not limited to this
position as long as the position where the getter material 728 is
positioned is inside the heat insulating package 791.
[0113] Here, the top end of the pipe material 626, 628, 630, 632,
634 is shaped in a flange shape, and the flange portion is fixed to
the base plate 662 which is the bottom surface of the low
temperature reactor 606. Similar to the low temperature reactor
606, the base plate 662 is heated to 120.degree. C. to 200.degree.
C., more preferably to 140.degree. C. to 180.degree. C., the heat
insulating package 791 is heated to about 80.degree. C., and a
difference in temperature of several tens of .degree. C. between
the base plate 642 and the heat insulating package 791 occurs.
[0114] Next, the operation of the micro-reactor module 600 will be
described. First, when the voltage is applied to the lead wires
737, 738, the getter material 728 is heated by the heater and the
getter material 728 is activated. With this, the factor which
raises the pressure such as gas inside the heat insulating package
791 is absorbed by the getter material 728, the decompression
amount inside the heat insulating package 791 is raised and the
heat insulating efficiency is enhanced.
[0115] When the voltage is applied to the lead wires 731, 732, the
electrical heating wire 720 generates heat and the low temperature
reactor 606 is heated. When the voltage is applied to the lead
wires 733, 734, the electrical heating wire 722 generates heat and
the high temperature reactor 604 is heated. When the voltage is
applied to the lead wires 735, 736, the electrical heating wire 724
generates heat and the top portion of the liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622 is heated. The liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the high
temperature reactor 604, the low temperature reactor 606 and the
coupling section 608 include metallic material, thus heat easily
transfers between these sections. By measuring the current and
voltage of the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 with a
control apparatus, the temperatures of the liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622, the high temperature reactor 604, and the low temperature
reactor 606 are measured, and the measured temperature is fed back
to the control apparatus. The control apparatus controls the
voltage of the electrical heating wire 720, 722, 724 so that the
temperatures of the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the high
temperature reactor 604, and the low temperature reactor 606 is
controlled.
[0116] When the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the high
temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606 are
heated by the electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724, and a liquid
mixture of liquid fuel and water is supplied to the liquid fuel
introducing pipe 622 continuously or intermittently with a pump,
etc., the liquid mixture is absorbed by a liquid absorbing material
623, and the liquid mixture permeates upward toward the inside of
the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622 by capillary phenomenon. The
liquid mixture is heated and vaporized in the liquid absorbing
material 623 and a gas mixture of fuel and water evaporate from the
liquid absorbing material. With the porous liquid absorbing
material 623, evaporation occurs from a large number of fine liquid
surfaces partitioned by fine holes. Consequently, since there is
only a small amount of liquid mixture in each hole, even when an
excess amount of heat is applied, a fixed quantity is stably
evaporated without bumping.
[0117] The gas mixture evaporated from the liquid absorbing
material 623 flows through the through hole 678, reforming fuel
supplying flow path 702, and introducing opening 432 into the
reformer 400. Then, while the gas mixture flows through the
reformer 400, by heating the gas mixture and causing a catalytic
reaction, hydrogen gas, etc. is generated (when the fuel is
methanol, see the above chemical formulas (1) and (2)).
[0118] The gas mixture (including hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas,
carbon monoxide gas, etc.) generated in the reformer 400 flows
through the discharging opening 434 and the communicating flow path
704 into the mixing chamber 708. Air is supplied to the pump
material 634 with a pump, etc., which flows through the through
hole 675 and the air supplying flow path 706 into the mixing
chamber 708 and the gas mixture such as hydrogen gas, etc., is
mixed with air.
[0119] Then, the gas mixture including air, hydrogen gas, carbon
monoxide gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc., flows from the mixing
chamber 708 through the introducing opening 532 into the carbon
monoxide remover 500. While the gas mixture flows through the
carbon monoxide remover 500, the carbon monoxide gas in the gas
mixture is selectively oxidized and the carbon monoxide gas is
removed.
[0120] The gas mixture with the carbon monoxide removed is supplied
from the discharging opening 534 through the discharging chamber
718, the through hole 671, the pipe material 626 to the fuel
electrode, etc. of the fuel cell. In the fuel cell, the
electrochemical reaction of the hydrogen gas generates power and
the offgas including unreacted hydrogen gas, etc. is discharged
from the fuel cell.
[0121] The above described operation is the operation of the early
steps, then the liquid mixture is continuously supplied to the
liquid fuel introducing pipe 622. Oxygen (air may also be used) is
mixed in the offgas discharged from the fuel cell, and the gas
mixture (hereinafter referred to as combustion gas mixture) is
supplied to the pipe material 632 and the pipe material 628. The
combustion gas mixture supplied to the pipe material 632 flows
through the through hole 674, the combustion fuel supplying flow
path 716, the through hole 676 to the combustion flow path 625 and
the combustion gas mixture is catalytically combusted in the
combustion flow path 625. This generates combustion heat and since
the combustion flow path 625 circles the liquid fuel introducing
pipe 622 on the bottom side of the low temperature reactor 606, the
liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, that is the vaporizer 610 is
heated by the combustion heat as well as the low temperature
reactor 606. Consequently, the power consumption of the electrical
heating wires 720, 724 can be reduced and the energy use efficiency
can be enhanced.
[0122] The combustion gas mixture supplied to the pipe material 628
flows through the through hole 672, the combustion fuel supplying
flow path 710 to the combustion chamber 712, and the combustion gas
mixture is catalytically combusted in the combustion chamber 712.
This generates combustion heat, and the combustion heat heats the
reformer 400. Consequently, the power consumption of the electrical
heating wire 722 can be reduced and the energy use efficiency can
be enhanced.
[0123] Here, since the high temperature reactor 604 needs to be
maintained at a higher temperature than the low temperature reactor
606, an amount of supply of hydrogen of the offgas per unit time in
the second combustor 614 may be in a larger amount than an amount
of supply of hydrogen of the offgas per unit time in the first
combustor 612 or an amount of supply of oxygen (air) which is the
refrigerant per unit time in the first combustor 612 may be in a
larger amount than an amount of supply of oxygen (air) per unit
time in the second combustor 614.
[0124] When the liquid fuel stored in the fuel container 804 is
evaporated, the combustion gas mixture of the evaporated fuel and
air may be supplied to the pipe materials 628, 632.
[0125] When the liquid mixture is supplied to the liquid fuel
introducing pipe 622 and the combustion gas mixture is supplied to
the pipe material 628, 632, while measuring the temperature of the
electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724, the control apparatus
controls the voltage applied to the electrical heating wires 720,
722, 724 as well as the pump, etc. When the control apparatus
controls the pump, the flow rate of the combustion gas mixture
supplied to the pipe material 628, 632 is controlled, and this
controls the amount of combustion heat of the combustor 612, 614.
As described above, the control apparatus controls the temperatures
of the liquid fuel introducing pipe 622, the high temperature
reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606 by controlling the
electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 and the pump. Here, the
temperature is controlled so that the high temperature reactor 604
is 375.degree. C. and the low temperature reactor 606 is
150.degree. C.
[0126] If the difference of the linear expansion coefficient
between the insulating plate 640 and the reacting container such as
the cups 410, 510, the corrugated boards 420, 520, 540, the
separating plate 550, the plate material 690, the base plate 642,
etc., is large, as the temperature of the high temperature reactor
604 and the low temperature reactor 606 rises, heat stress is
applied to a bonded area and a deformation such as warpage toward
the lower linear expansion coefficient may occur. Particularly,
since the heat insulating plate 640 is directly provided with
electrical heating wires 720, 722, 724 and combustor plate 624 as
heat sources, the temperature easily becomes high, which generates
heat stress. In the present embodiment, the material is selected so
that the linear expansion coefficient of the reacting container and
the insulating plate 640 are close.
[0127] As shown in FIG. 15, the above-described micro-reactor
module 600 may be used with a power generating unit 801. FIG. 15 is
a perspective view showing the power generating unit 801.
[0128] The power generating unit 801 comprises a frame 802, a fuel
container 804 removably attached to the frame 802, a flow rate
control unit 806 including a flow path, a pump, a flow rate sensor,
a valve, etc., the micro-reactor module 600 accommodated in the
heat insulating package 791, a power generating cell 808 including
a fuel cell, a humidifier, a collector, etc., an air pump 810, and
a power source unit 812 including a secondary cell, a DC-DC
converter and an external interface. By supplying a gas mixture of
water and liquid fuel in the fuel container 804 to the
micro-reactor module 600, as described above, hydrogen gas is
generated, the hydrogen gas is supplied to the fuel cell of the
power generating cell 808 and the generated power is stored in the
secondary cell of the power source unit 812.
[0129] FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing an electronic device
851 using the power generating unit 801 as a power source. As shown
in FIG. 16, the electronic device 851 is a portable electronic
device, especially a laptop personal computer. The electronic
device 851 comprises a lower box 854 with an internal processing
circuit including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and other electronic parts
as well as a keyboard 852, an upper box 858 with a liquid crystal
display 856. The lower box 854 and the upper box 858 are joined
with a hinge, and the upper box 858 and the lower box 854 may be
folded so that the keyboard 852 and the liquid crystal display 856
overlap opposing each other. A concave attaching section 860 is
provided from the right side surface to the bottom surface of the
lower box 854 for attaching the power generating unit 801 and when
the power generating unit 801 is attached to the attaching section
860, the electronic device 851 operates with the power from the
power generating unit 801.
[0130] As described above, according to an embodiment of the
present invention, since the infrared reflectance of the high
temperature reactor 604 is higher then the infrared reflectance of
the low temperature reactor 606, the radiation of the high
temperature reactor 604 is prevented and the heat dissipation of
the low temperature reactor 606 is promoted compared to the high
temperature reactor 604. Consequently, the difference in
temperature between the high temperature reactor 604 and the low
temperature reactor 606 may be maintained.
[0131] Since the infrared reflecting film 605 with a high infrared
reflectance is provided on the surface of the high temperature
reactor 604 and the infrared reflecting film 607 with a low
infrared reflectance is provided on the surface of the low
temperature reactor 606, the difference in temperature between the
high temperature reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606
may be easily maintained.
[0132] Among the inner wall surfaces of the heat insulating package
791, since the infrared reflectance of the inner wall surface 791a
facing to the high temperature reactor 604 is lower than that of
the inner wall surface 791b facing to the low temperature reactor
606, compared to the radiation heat from the low temperature
reactor 606, the radiation heat from the high temperature reactor
604 is reflected by the inner wall surface 791a of the heat
insulating package 791 and the heat loss may be reduced. In this
way also the difference in temperature between the high temperature
reactor 604 and the low temperature reactor 606 may be
maintained.
[0133] When the infrared reflecting films 605, 607 are provided on
either one of the high temperature reactor 604 or the low
temperature reactor 606, the cost may be reduced.
[0134] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2007-082105 on Mar. 27, 2007 including specification, claims,
drawings and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0135] Although various exemplary embodiments have been shown and
described, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.
Therefore, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited
solely by the scope of the claims that follow.
* * * * *